By discovering the enemy’s dispositions and remaining invisible
ourselves, we can keep our forces concentrated, while the enemy’s must
be divided.
The conclusion is perhaps not very obvious, but Chang Yü (after
Mei Yao-ch‘ên) rightly explains it thus: “If the enemy’s
dispositions are visible, we can make for him in one body;
whereas, our own dispositions being kept secret, the enemy will be
obliged to divide his forces in order to guard against attack from
every quarter.” 形 is here used as an active verb: “to make to
appear.” See IV, note on heading. Capt. Calthrop’s “making feints”
is quite wrong.